Obituaries

Stephen Robert Downs, age 61, went home to Jesus on Saturday, Dec. 5, 2020. On Dec. 9, 1958, Stephen was born in Hillsdale, to the late Robert and Marjorie (Purdy) Downs. Steve was previously married to Elizabeth (Frisbie) Barrington of Colon, and had four children. On June 20, 1992, Steve married Diane Mallen of Colon. Steve Downs was a lifelong …

Raymond J. Young, age 91, of Constantine, passed away on Thursday, December 3, 2020 at Bowman Place in Three Rivers. Ray was born in Constantine on September 12, 1929, a son of Charles and Pansy (Roberts) Young. He graduated from Constantine High School in 1947 and went on to serve in the U.S. Army. On May 1, 1954, he married …

Joan Ruth Dugan, age 93, of Indianapolis, passed away on Monday, Nov. 30, 2020. She was born in Terre Haute, IN on Feb. 25, 1927 the daughter of Orville and Grace (Behringer) Utterback. She was married to Richard C. Dugan on Nov. 27, 1949 in Indianapolis. They resided in Three Rivers for thirty years during Richard’s employment at Wells Manufacturing. …

Shirley (Dickerson) Harker, loving mother and grandmother, passed away with family by her side Nov. 29, 2020 at Friendly Village in Rhinelander, Wis. She was born April 19, 1931, in Three Rivers, to Olga (Ferguson) and Merrill Dickerson. On Sept.16, 1950, she married Wayne Harker and resided in Sturgis. Shirley worked as an office manager at Readmore Bookstore and also …

Carolyn A. Gruber, age 88, of Sturgis, passed away Tuesday morning, Dec. 1, 2020, at The Gardens of The Fountains at Bronson Place in Kalamazoo. She was born in Peoria, Ill., a daughter of the late George and Julia (Roguszka) Dammann. Mrs. Gruber resided in Sturgis since 2000, coming from Kalamazoo. Her early life was spent in Peoria, where she …

Jon Michael “Frank” Falkenstein, age 78, of Sturgis, passed away Wednesday morning, Dec. 2, 2020, at Thurston Woods Village in Sturgis. He was born Nov. 29, 1942, in Sturgis, a son of the late Glen E. and Henrietta Lucille (Boughton) Falkenstein. Frank was a lifelong Sturgis resident and graduate of Sturgis High School with the class of 1961. On April …

Daniel Lee Gales, age 67, of Colon, went home to Jesus on Wednesday, December 2, 2020 at Bronson Battle Creek Hospital. On June 26, 1953 Daniel was born in Fort Wayne, a son of the late John and Joan (McLatcher) Gales. Daniel graduated from Colon High School with the class of 1971. After graduation Daniel served his county with the …

Reinald “Ron” A. Lilly, age 69, of Burr Oak, passed away unexpectedly Wednesday, December 2, 2020 at his home in Burr Oak. Ron was born on September 4, 1951 in Battle Creek, a son of Max and Ethel (Mock) Lilly. Ron attended and graduated from Bronson High School with the class of 1969. On June 30, 2001 Ron married Ruth …

Daniel Beryl Disbro, age 65, died Thursday, Dec. 3, 2020 at Argosy House in Centreville. He was born in Three Rivers on May 24, 1955 the son of Clyde and Janet (Gage) Disbro and has been a lifetime resident of St. Joseph County. He attended the Upjohn School in Kalamazoo and the Pathfinder School in Centreville. Dan worked at ARCH …

Robert Michael “Mitch” Foster, age 63, of Sturgis, passed away Tuesday, Dec. 1, 2020, at his home. He was born Jan. 9, 1957 in Battle Creek, a son of Gerald G. and Maxine Virginia (Reed) Foster. Mitch was a lifelong Burr Oak and Sturgis area resident and a graduate of Burr Oak High School with the class of 1975. On …